Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-12

it; the next day one turn OF
the feeder would have blown 1t into
hundred fragments, and sent them,
dealing-death and destruction among
800 men. What then, we ask, Will
render boiler perfectly safe" ? An
examination by n mechanical expert?
"Not at all would give more TO-
one safe. careful man, who understood
his business. to be in charge of boiler
than all the mechanical experts III the
country. To what. then, can be attrl-
buted so many accidents from the ex-
plosions of boilers? 1answer, from ig-
norance. careleseness, and the natural
instinct in most men to take chances.
A water-tender gets very much inter
ested in an argument with fellow
workman meanwhile the water
in the boiler gets lower and
lower. This causes steam to be
Termed much more rapidly and
the water to decline in a corresponding
ratio. Suddenly be remembers that
tie Loiler needs attention, ruShcs up
the lowest gauge shows no 'Cdtcr-takes
tue chances. turns the feeder, and the
next second be is before his Maker
giving an account of his stewardship.
re takes the chances sometimes
through fear Of being discharged for
neglect: for the only safe way in such
circumstances is not to allow ONE DROP
Of water to 90 into the boiler, but TO
draw bars and put out the fire
AT ONCE. Almost every account OF
boiler explosion winds up with
the remark "The cause of eX-
plosion unknown. The reason it is
unknown is simply because the only
competent witness is in Heaven, or
should be- Then few men will get
together as n jury land they will know
as much about the cause as the man in
the moon)s and say the material was
Inferior or the make defective, aad
that ends il, when the only verdict
should lie he came to the boiler
could not find any water by known
means-the gaugcs-but took it for
granted that there must be water there
pumped the boiler, it went mp, and 50
did be, taking all the evidence with
BIN as to tie cause of the explosion.
So We see that the material has little to
90 with its exploding, hut at the
same time it is very essential
that the iron or steel used in
It's construction should he OF good ma
telial in order that it may be durable,
and every boilcrmakCr knows in order
70 Turn good hanges the material must
&c good. The stronger the boiler tue
greater damage it is capable of doing,
and lessons 10y 50 many degrees as the
boiler become weaker, rthe resistance
Of strong boiler to this destructive GAS
must he far more than in weak boiler.
Hence it follows as matter OF course
that the explosive force OF strong
boiler IS much greater than in Il
weak one. What. then, | ask, is
necessary to absolute safety in all
concerns that use steam-hoilers AneX-
pert examiner? No but careful man.
wfll-iniormcd in relation to all that
pertains TO the caro- Of boiler, and one
who viii De conscientious enough,
should the water in The boiler from any
nCei,ct q Lis get SO low that h can
not discover ANY IN the lowest gauge.
TO WAVE TIE TIRE PIT OFT at ONCE
and not take any chances whatever.
vii lctc something in future article
u relation 10 what caused, in my oplG-
on, thc la,e explosion OF the rotary
boiler" in the papcr-mill.
Respectfully, 5. ". SNYDER.